Bulk handling of agricultural chemicals and chemical container

ABSTRACT

A method of bulk handling of a liquid agricultural chemical includes securing an above ground farm container to the ground at a farm location with an input port defined in a top thereof; pumping the chemical from a container at a dealer location into a transport vehicle, driving the transport vehicle to the farm location, and pumping the agricultural chemical into the input port; pumping the agricultural chemical from the farm container through an output port in the top of the farm container into a carry tank on a farm vehicle; and driving the farm vehicle to a field location and pumping the agricultural chemical from the carry tank into a chemical applicator for application on a field. A suitable chemical container for the farm location has an outer shell and inner molded tank with an upper portion that protrudes laterally outward over the top edge of the shell.

This invention is in the field of agricultural chemicals and in particular system for handling and storing such chemicals bulk and a container for chemical storage.

BACKGROUND

The size of farm has greatly increased over time, such that a typical modern farm may have 10,000 or more acres under cultivation. The use of agricultural chemicals such as herbicides, fungicides, and pesticides has grown as well, particularly with the popularity of reduced tillage or no tillage farming practices where weed control is accomplished by herbicidal chemicals and not as traditionally at least in part by cultivation. The increased use of chemicals has allowed for better soil health, carbon sequestration in untilled soil, and less erosion due to reduced tillage. The result is that not only does each farm have more acres, each acre of the farm often requires an increased volume of chemicals.

The volume of chemicals that an average farm must handle has therefore increased dramatically, such that bulk handling is growing in popularity, especially for certain high volume chemicals such as glyphosate, perhaps better known under the trademark ROUNDUP™. In a typical no-till farming operation each acre will be sprayed once, and often multiple times, with glyphosate. Thus a 10,000 acre no-till farm may easily use 10,000 or more liters of glyphosate each year.

In order to faun these large acreages, farmers must be efficient and conduct operations as speedily as possible. Traditionally agricultural chemicals were provided in 10 jugs or 20 liter pails, however handling and rinsing 1000 jugs of chemical is time consuming and demanding and disposal of the empty jugs is problematic as well. Bulk handling has thus become more popular with glyphosate, for example, which is available in various larger “bulk” containers or pods which are generally too large to handle manually, as they hold up to 1000 liters, The chemical is typically carried on a truck to the location where application is taking place and then pumped from the bulk containers into the farmer's application equipment. In some cases it could also be pumped from the larger containers into smaller containers for carriage to the location.

In many cases containers are non returnable and must be disposed of, and so are very inefficient. The bulk containers typically must be returned to the dealer for refund of a deposit, and refilling. In addition to ease of handling, buying in bulk containers is generally somewhat cheaper than buying in smaller containers.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide bulk handling of liquid agricultural chemicals that overcomes problems in the prior art.

In a first embodiment the present invention provides a method of bulk handling of a liquid agricultural chemical. The method comprises providing an above ground farm container at a farm location, the farm container having an input port defined in a top thereof, and securing the farm container to the ground; pumping the agricultural chemical from a container at a dealer location into a transport tank on a transport vehicle, driving the transport vehicle to the farm location, and pumping the agricultural chemical from the transport tank into the input port of the farm container; pumping the agricultural chemical from the farm container through an output port in the top of the farm container into a carry tank mounted on a farm vehicle; and driving the farm vehicle to a field location and pumping the agricultural chemical from the carry tank into a chemical applicator for application on a field.

In a second embodiment the present invention provides a container apparatus for handling liquid chemical in bulk. The apparatus comprises a metal outer shell with a bottom adapted to rest on the ground such that the outer shell extends up from the ground to an open top thereof located above the ground. A molded inner tank has a lower portion inside the outer shell, and an upper portion extending above a top edge of the outer shell, and a top defining input and output ports. The upper portion of the molded inner tank extends laterally outward over the top edge of the outer shell.

The method of the present invention provides true bulk handling of a liquid agricultural chemical. There are no single use or returnable containers involved such that rinsing containers and disposing of or returning containers is not necessary at all, and the use of plastics is significantly reduced. Labor and expense are thus reduced for the farm end user, the dealer, distributor, and manufacturer.

The liquid chemical container apparatus of the present invention provides convenient and economical storage with secondary containment. The economically manufactured molded inner tank slides into the outer shell, and the configuration of the upper portion and lip extending over the top edge of the outer shell and down below the top edge substantially prevents rain from entering the shell adjacent to the inner tank and damaging the apparatus, while allowing any moisture that does manage to accumulate in the shell, such as condensation, rain, or snow, to evaporate and escape. The farm container is mounted above the ground so that defects or damage are visible. Providing a well at the input port reduces the risk that agricultural chemical will be spilled. Collision barriers can be installed around traffic areas of storage tank to prevent accidental damage from vehicles.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

While the invention is claimed in the concluding portions hereof, preferred embodiments are provided in the accompanying detailed description which may be best understood in conjunction with the accompanying diagrams where like parts in each of the several diagrams are labeled with like numbers, and where:

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective exploded view of an embodiment of a farm container apparatus of the present invention,

FIG. 2 is a schematic side view of the embodiment of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a schematic sectional view along line 3-3 in FIG. 1 showing a first configuration of a lip extending down from the periphery of the upper portion of the inner tank;

FIG. 4 is a schematic sectional view along line 3-3 in FIG. 1 showing a second configuration of a lip extending down from the periphery of the upper portion of the inner tank;

FIG. 5 is a schematic sectional view of a well providing the input port of the embodiment of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a schematic side view of a farm container of the present invention where the output pump is a suction pump connected to a top end of the output conduit and mounted in a cabinet attached to the shell;

FIG. 7 is a schematic side view of a farm container of the present invention where the output pump is a submersible pump connected to a bottom end of the output conduit;

FIG. 8 is a schematic illustration of the step of pumping the agricultural chemical from a container at a dealer location into a transport tank on a transport vehicle, driving the transport vehicle to the farm location, and pumping the agricultural chemical from the transport tank into the input port of the farm container;

FIG. 9 is a schematic illustration of the step of pumping the agricultural chemical from the farm container through an output port in the top of the farm container into a carry tank mounted on a faun vehicle, and driving the farm vehicle to a field location and pumping the agricultural chemical from the carry tank into a chemical applicator for application on a field.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENTS

FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate an embodiment of a container apparatus 1 of the present invention for handling chemicals, such as agricultural chemicals, in bulk. The apparatus 1 comprises a metal outer shell 3 with a bottom 5 adapted to rest on the ground 7 such that the outer shell 3 extends up from the ground 7 to an open top 9 thereof located above the ground 7. A molded inner tank 11 has a lower portion 13 that slides inside the outer shell 3, and an upper portion 15 extending above a top edge 17 of the outer shell 3. The top 19 of the inner tank defines input and output ports 21, 23. Appropriate air vents are provided as well to allow air to move into and out of the inner tank 11 as liquid agricultural chemical flows into or out of the inner tank 11.

The outer shell 3 is made of steel or like metal and provides secondary containment in the event the inner tank 11, typically molded of a plastic or fiberglass material, should leak. Such secondary containment is generally required when storing potentially hazardous liquids, such as agricultural chemicals. It is contemplated that the container apparatus 1 could be used for other industrial chemicals as well, such as are used in petroleum recovery operations.

The upper portion 15 of the molded inner tank 11 extends laterally outward over the top edge 17 of the outer shell 3, as seen in FIG. 2, and the upper portion 15 also defines a lip 25, as seen in FIG. 3, that extend down from an outer periphery thereof along the outer surface 27 of the outer shell 3 below the upper edge 17 of the outer shell 3. FIG. 4 schematically illustrates an alternate configuration of the lip 25A extending down along the outer surface 27A of the outer shell below the upper edge 17A of the outer shell.

Thus rain and snow are substantially prevented from entering the area between the outer shell 3 and the inner tank 1 where same could freeze and cause damage to the shell 3 or tank 11. As illustrated, the upper edge 17 of the outer shell 3 is a loose fit under the lip 25 such that air can circulate to some extent and any moisture that does manage to accumulate in the shell 3, such as condensation, rain, or snow, can evaporate and escape.

As schematically illustrated in FIG. 5, the input port 22 of the illustrated apparatus 1 comprises a well 29 extending down from the top 17 of the inner tank 11, and into the inner tank 11. The well 29 has an open top 31 and a removable lid 33 configured to cover the open top 31. A bottom port 35 is defined in a floor 37 of the well 29. The bottom port 35 is configured such that a delivery nozzle 39 from the transport tank on a chemical transport vehicle can extend into the open top 31 of the well 29 and through the bottom port 35 to fill the inner tank 11. A plug 41 is configured to plug the bottom port 35.

To prevent over filling, a gauge 45 is provided in the well 29 to indicate when a level of agricultural chemical in the inner tank 11 is at full level 47. To maintain secondary containment of the agricultural chemical, the full level 47 is located at a vertical location that is below the top edge 17 of the outer shell 3. The illustrated gauge 45 comprises a float 49 extending down through the floor 37 of the well 29 and configured such that when the level of agricultural chemical in the inner tank approaches the full level 47, the end 51 of the float 49 inside the well 29 rises to indicate to the person filling the inner tank 11 that the delivery of liquid agricultural chemical into the inner tank 11 should be stopped.

A small drip aperture 53 is typically provided in the floor 37 of the well 29 to allow chemical that drips from the delivery nozzle 39 to drip through the floor 37 and into the inner tank 11. In the illustrated well 29, the drip aperture 53 is provided by the hole through the floor 37 where the shaft 55 of the float 49 passes through the floor, since the shaft 55 does not fit tightly and allows the liquid to drip through into the tank 11. Generally for security a lock 43 is provided to lock at least one of the plug 41 and the lid 33 to prevent unauthorized removal of the agricultural chemical.

An output conduit 57 extends down inside the molded inner tank 11 from the output port 21 to a location adjacent a floor of the molded inner tank 11, and an output pump is connected to the output conduit 57. FIG. 6 schematically illustrates an apparatus 1 where the output pump is a suction pump 59 connected by an intake conduit to a top end of the output conduit 57. The suction pump 59, and a dispensing nozzle 61 connected to an output of the suction pump 59 by a hose 63, are stored in a lockable cabinet 65 conveniently attached to the outer shell 3.

FIG. 7 schematically illustrates an apparatus 1A where the output pump is a submersible pump 59A connected to a bottom end of the output conduit 21A inside the inner tank 11A. A dispensing nozzle 61A is connected to the top end of the output conduit 21A by a hose 63A and may be similarly locked in a cabinet, or the control for the submersible pump may be locked to prevent unauthorized removal of the agricultural chemical.

The present invention also provides a method of bulk handling of a liquid agricultural chemical. The method comprises, as schematically illustrated in FIG. 8, pumping the agricultural chemical from a container 71 at a dealer location into a transport tank 73 on a transport vehicle 75, driving the transport vehicle 75 to the farm location, and pumping the agricultural chemical from the transport tank 73 into a farm container 77 at the farm location through an input port 79 in the top of the farm container 77. The delivery personnel may have a key to unlock the lock 43, and it may be desired to also provide a security seal to indicate that the contents are not tampered with.

Collision barriers 78 are installed adjacent to the farm container 77 to prevent accidental contact between vehicles and the farm container 77. As illustrated in FIG. 9, to apply the agricultural chemical, same is pumped from the farm container 77 through an output port 81 in the top of the farm container 77 into a carry tank 83 mounted on a farm vehicle 85 and then the farm vehicle 85 is driven to a field location and the agricultural chemical is pumped from the carry tank 83 into a chemical applicator 87 for application on a field.

By having the input and output ports on the farm container 77 on the top, the risk of leakage below the level of the agricultural chemical in the container 77 is reduced. Damage to the fittings or a poor seal will not cause leakage of the agricultural chemical stored in the container 77 since all fittings and seals are above the liquid level.

The method of the present invention provides true bulk handling of a liquid agricultural chemical. There are no single use or returnable containers involved such that rinsing containers and disposing of or returning containers is not necessary at all. Labor and expense are thus reduced for the farm end user, the dealer, distributor, and manufacturer.

The farm container 77 is conveniently provided by the apparatus 1 described above. The apparatus 1 provides convenient and economical storage with secondary containment. The economically manufactured molded inner tank 11 simply slides into the outer shell 3, and the configuration of the upper portion 15 of the inner tank 11 extending over the top edge 17 of the outer shell 3, and the lip 25 extending down along the outer surface 27 of the shell 3 below the top edge 17 thereof substantially prevents rain from entering the shell 3 adjacent to the inner tank 11 and damaging the apparatus 1. The well 29 reduces the risk that agricultural chemical will be spilled, as filling of the inner tank 11 takes place virtually inside the well 29, such that spills are contained in the well 29.

The bottom 5 of the outer shell 3 rests on the ground and provides above ground storage so any problems or defects are visible. The apparatus 1 can be tied to the ground to resist movement by high winds. The outer shell 3 illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 includes a flange 89 extending from a bottom thereof and holes 91 defined in the flange 89 so that pegs 93 my be driven through the holes 91 into the ground to secure the apparatus 1 to the ground.

Also as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, a layer of insulation 95 can be provided between a bottom of the inner tank 11 and the floor of the outer shell 3 to keep thermal heat in and external heat out providing for more even storage temperatures. A piece of foam insulation, preferably with reflective foil on each side, can be cut to fit inside the shell 3 and the height of the molded inner tank 11 configured so that the required fit of the lip 25 and the top edge 17 of the shell 23 is maintained. The apparatus 1 could also be wrapped in insulation or a heat blanket to control chemical temperatures. Alternately a layer of insulation could be provided between the outer shell and the inner tank 11.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous changes and modifications will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all such suitable changes or modifications in structure or operation which may be resorted to are intended to fall within the scope of the claimed invention. 

1. A method of bulk handling of a liquid agricultural chemical, the method comprising: providing an above ground farm container at a farm location, the farm container having an input port defined in a top thereof, and securing the farm container to the ground; pumping the agricultural chemical from a container at a dealer location into a transport tank on a transport vehicle, driving the transport vehicle to the farm location, and pumping the agricultural chemical from the transport tank into the input port of the fat in container; pumping the agricultural chemical from the farm container through an output port in the top of the farm container into a carry tank mounted on a farm vehicle; and driving the farm vehicle to a field location and pumping the agricultural chemical from the carry tank into a chemical applicator for application on a field.
 2. The method of claim 1 comprising providing the farm container by providing a metal outer shell with an open top and sliding a molded inner tank into the outer shell such that a lower portion of the inner tank is inside the outer shell, and an upper portion of the inner tank extends above a top edge of the outer shell and extends laterally outward over the top edge of the outer shell, and placing a bottom of the outer shell on the ground at the farm location such that the outer shell and inner tank extend up from the ground.
 3. The method of claim 2 further comprising substantially preventing the entrance of rain into the outer shell adjacent to an outer surface of the inner tank by providing a lip on an outer periphery of the upper portion of the molded inner tank, the lip extending down along an outer surface of the outer shell below the upper edge of the outer shell.
 4. The method of claim 2 wherein the input port comprises: a well extending down from a top thereof into the molded inner tank, the well having an open top and a removable lid configured to cover the open top of the well; a bottom port defined in a floor of the well, the bottom port and well configured such that a delivery nozzle from the transport tank on the transport vehicle can extend into the open top of the well and through the bottom port to fill the molded inner tank; a plug configured to plug the bottom port.
 5. The method of claim 4 further comprising providing a drip aperture in the floor of the well configured to allow chemical that drips from the delivery nozzle to drip through the floor and into the molded inner tank.
 6. The method of claim 4 further comprising a locking at least one of the plug and the lid to prevent unauthorized removal of the agricultural chemical.
 7. The method of claim 4 comprising providing a gauge in the well operative to indicate when a vertical level of agricultural chemical in the inner tank is at a full level.
 8. The method of claim 7 comprising maintaining secondary containment of the agricultural chemical by locating the full level at a vertical location that is below the top edge of the outer shell.
 9. The method of claim 7 wherein the gauge comprises a float extending down through the floor of the well and configured such that when the level of agricultural chemical in the inner tank approaches the full level, the float rises inside the well.
 10. The method of claim 2 comprising providing an output conduit extending down inside the molded inner tank from the output port to a location adjacent a floor of the molded inner tank, and connecting an output pump to the output conduit.
 11. The method of claim 10 comprising providing the output pump by one of connecting a submersible pump to a bottom end of the output conduit, and connecting a suction pump to a top end of the output conduit.
 12. The method of claim 11 comprising attaching lockable cabinet to the outer shell, and locating the output suction pump in the cabinet, and storing a dispensing nozzle connected to an output of the suction pump in the cabinet.
 13. The method of claim 2 further comprising providing a layer of insulation between a bottom of the inner tank and the outer shell.
 14. The method of claim 2 comprising installing collision barriers adjacent to the farm container.
 15. A container apparatus for handling liquid chemical in bulk, the apparatus comprising: a metal outer shell with a bottom adapted to rest on the ground such that the outer shell extends up from the ground to an open top thereof located above the ground; a molded inner tank with a lower portion inside the outer shell, and an upper portion extending above a top edge of the outer shell, and a top defining input and output ports; and wherein the upper portion of the molded inner tank extends laterally outward over the top edge of the outer shell.
 16. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the upper portion of the molded inner tank defines a lip extending down from an outer periphery thereof along an outer surface of the outer shell below the upper edge of the outer shell.
 17. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the input port comprises: a well extending down from a top thereof into the molded inner tank, the well having an open top and a removable lid configured to cover the open top of the well; a bottom port defined in a floor of the well, the bottom port and well configured such that a delivery nozzle from the transport tank on a transport vehicle can extend into the open top of the well and extend through the bottom port to fill the molded inner tank; a plug configured to plug the bottom port; and a drip aperture in the floor of the well configured to allow chemical that drips from the delivery nozzle to drip through the floor and into the molded inner tank.
 18. The apparatus of claim 17 further comprising a drip aperture in the floor of the well configured to allow chemical that drips from the delivery nozzle to drip through the floor and into the molded inner tank.
 19. The apparatus of any one of claims 17 and 18 further comprising a lock operative to lock at least one of the plug and the lid to prevent unauthorized removal of the agricultural chemical.
 20. The apparatus of claim 17 comprising a gauge in the well operative to indicate when a level of agricultural chemical in the inner tank is at full level,
 21. The apparatus of claim 20 wherein the full level is at a vertical location that is below the top edge of the outer shell,
 22. The apparatus of claim 20 wherein the gauge comprises a float extending down through the floor of the well and configured such that when the level of agricultural chemical in the inner tank approaches the full level, the float rises inside the well.
 23. The apparatus of claim 15 comprising an output conduit extending down inside the molded inner tank from the output port to a location adjacent a floor of the molded inner tank, and an output pump connected to the output conduit.
 24. The apparatus of claim 23 wherein the output pump is one of a submersible pump connected to a bottom end of the output conduit, and a suction pump connected to a top end of the output conduit.
 25. The apparatus of claim 24 wherein the output pump is a suction pump connected to a top end of the output conduit, and wherein the suction pump and a dispensing nozzle connected to an output of the suction pump are stored in a lockable cabinet attached to the outer shell.
 26. The apparatus of claim 15 comprising a layer of insulation a bottom of the inner tank and the outer shell.
 27. A method of bulk handling of a liquid agricultural chemical, the method comprising: providing the container apparatus of claim 15 at a farm location; pumping the agricultural chemical from a container at a dealer location into a transport tank on a transport vehicle, driving the transport vehicle to the farm location, and pumping the agricultural chemical from the transport tank into the input port of the farm container apparatus; pumping the agricultural chemical from the farm container apparatus through the output port in the top of the farm container apparatus into a carry tank mounted on a farm vehicle; and driving the farm vehicle to a field location and pumping the agricultural chemical from the carry tank into a chemical applicator for application on a field. 